Artificial Lives
by Violet Horizon
Summary: Re-uploaded. AU. After years of researching the human anatomy and experimenting on ways to conduct life for the sake of helping the human race, Rachel and Vincent Phantomhive created humanoids akin to humans. Now they want to pass their legacy onto Ciel who is reluctant, but he gets a humanoid of his own named Sebastian to assist him. Seb x Ciel
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji **

**A/N: I decided to re-upload this fic since I wasn't too thrilled with some parts that I wrote before. Plus I came across a few issues, so I'm going to make some changes and hopefully not run into anymore problems. The beginning is mainly the same as before, but I added a few things and combined the previous first two chaps together, but also left out things that seemed uninteresting. The chapters are going to be longer, but updates are going to be slower (most likely monthly) so please be patient with me. **

**Now here's some background~ I took a science fiction class last year and we discussed the philosophy and themes in different books and movies like Blade Runner and Gattica, and somehow that sparked an idea to write a sci fi Kuro fic, 'cause why not? It's different and I like writing different things, I don't think there's a fic with some of the characters being humanoids, so I'd like to work with that concept. And when I mean by humanoids since there are different aspects and forms of them in diff media, I mean by that they have all the parts of a human like skin, bones, organs, etc but their brain is purely artificial and is exactly like a computer, gaining information and such, that's just a brief example since there's more to it. So they're not entirely robotic or anything, it's not like Terminator, more like Blade Runner or other books/movies that have humanoids that are akin to humans. Yeah, that sort of thing.**

**Warnings: Some OOCness, smut and violence later on. **

* * *

_Potomac River, August 26, 2031_

Ciel didn't have time to catch his breath as he darted down the street. Dense rain fell and beat against the cement ground like drums, resounding with no sign of ending. Lightning crackled and thunder roared as the storm prolonged its bitter welcome. Ciel could barely see where he was going through this endless cascade.

Regardless, as long as he got as far away from them, it really didn't matter. He allowed the orange-yellow lights from the lampposts be his guide as they led him to the bridge arched over the Potomac River. Ciel thought about jumping off, but that would be too reckless. However, if he continued forward, his pursuers would easily be able to catch up to him.

Ciel heard their feet pounding at a far, but close enough range that made the teen pick up his pace, refusing to allow him to take a break. They were getting closer and Ciel ran out of options. He held his breath as he rushed towards the ledge, gaining a small bit of hope. But when he gazed over the ledge and saw the dark, rocky waters that crashed and hurtled into the bridge, he grew skeptic.

_Bang!_

A shiver shot up Ciel's spine at the frightful awareness of how dangerously close that gunshot was. Sweat rolled down his face and his body trembled, but clung to that fragment of courage that was encouraging him to dive. He climbed onto the ledge and steadied himself, refusing to look down as he closed his eyes. Before he could hear another gunshot, he dived right into the water.

The currents were rough as they yanked Ciel back and forth, seizing hold of him forcefully against his will. He was not a good swimmer so he struggled to break himself free and fight off the treacherous waves that slammed into him. His arms flailed and legs kicked feverishly, but these efforts were utterly useless as the water took a dominant charge. The rushing river threw him downstream as it reeled him in a strong manner, rejecting to give him the feeblest chance to break away.

Ciel held his head up high, only to have it thrown down by the smacking waves and hammering rain. Ciel's limbs were experiencing immense exhaustion, but he couldn't give in. He mustered all his strength to push his body against its limits. The rain was falling down harder than before, pounding onto the roaring water and enclosing Ciel within. The rain was like needles prickling his freezing skin and the waves were heaving him down underneath like arms.

He gasped for air when he rose up again, his arms thrashed out but when they came down they touched dry land. Ciel grasped in vain at the soil as the river attempted to throw him back into the watery depths. With the last of his strength, Ciel heaved himself onto the shore and collapsed. His heart was beating so hard against his chest and his body was aching. Ciel coughed and spluttered out water so much that his throat burnt. He could care less that he was laying in mud and dirt; he needed to rest, just for a few minutes.

_Bang!_

Ciel's heart leaped at the gunfire, it was far too close to him and he wondered how the hell did they find him so fast. He whimpered as he yanked his weakened body up. He desperately gazed around but couldn't see anything aside from the heavy downpour. He couldn't do anything but flee for his life. His legs were about to break down but he strained himself forward. He breathed in and out sharply, clutching his aching chest. His body was yelling for him to stop, but his mind surpassed as it bellowed for him to keep running like an alarm blaring constantly. He would no doubt be killed if he stopped.

All Ciel could do was run and keep on running. Under this canopy of heavy rain, he moved as swiftly as he could manage at the dire need to hide somewhere safe. But he didn't know where he was and where to exactly go. His only source of light was the occasional sparks of thunder.

Ciel suddenly yelped as he toppled over something sharp and fell to the ground. A large rock had tore and slashed open his ankle, immediately gushing out blood. He winced as pain shot up through his leg and left him stunned. He nonetheless forced himself up, but when he added pressure to his injured foot, he groaned and collided back to the ground. He grunted at the immense pain of the open wound as the cold rain fell onto it. It stung so much; it was like ice shoving its way inside.

He didn't have time to cover it up, he could hear them but couldn't run any longer. He could barely manage to crawl either. Ciel was soaked to the bone and his frail body was freezing up. He tried once again to stand, but his legs finally gave in and he slumped into a puddle of mud.

Someone approached him from behind, but he didn't make the slightest gesture. He just stared idly at the rain. His eyes blurred and were about to close, but then the person suddenly grabbed his hair and yanked him up. Ciel only let out a strained whimper as his upper body was held at an uncomfortable angle.

His arms dangled limply by his side, numb and useless along with his knees that were sprawled beneath the mud. The rain continued to beat down on him but all he could really sense was the cold muzzle of a gun pressed against his head.

x~x~x~x~x

_Washington D.C., December 14, 2030_

"Happy birthday, Ciel!" Lizzy cheered joyously, handing her now eighteen year old cousin his birthday present. She smiled proudly, hoping that Ciel was going to like the gift. Ciel huffed a sigh but brought up a small smile to please the delighted girl.

"Thanks, Lizzy." Ciel replied. Lizzy was a year older than him but she still acted like a child. It was a surprise that he could still tolerate her, but she meant well since Ciel wasn't exactly close to that many people.

Ciel opened up the present and found that it was a new i-phone. He had broken his previous one by accidently dropping it a couple times a while ago, so he was quite grateful that he got a new one. However, his courtesy faltered at how brightly and disturbingly pink it was. Before Ciel could say anything, his mom Rachel entered from the basement.

Rachel had on a white lab coat that flowed about as she turned to close the basement door. Her hair was secured in a high ponytail that draped over her shoulder. She slipped off her transparent goggles and fastened them on top of her head. Then she greeted her son and niece with a compassionate smile that graced her scarlet lips.

"Oh, Lizzy, I didn't know that you were here." Rachel remarked, slightly embarrassed but was nevertheless privileged that her niece was here to give Ciel some company.

"It's fine, auntie, I just came to give Ciel his present." Lizzy remarked in her merrily tone, followed by a short giggle. She gave Ciel another hug and bounded off of the couch.

"I'll see you tonight, Ciel!" Lizzy cheered and left as soon as she came. The energetic girl was referring to the big party tonight that wasn't just to celebrate Ciel's birthday, but it was the one year anniversary of the birth of the first successful humanoid.

The humanoids, or A.U.X (Artificial Unit X) were created by the famous scientists, Rachel and Vincent Phantomhive. After years of researching the human anatomy and experimenting on ways to conduct life for the sake of helping the human race, they created humanoids from the mixture of advance technology and natural elements. The A.U.X are primarily used for services, such as military and doctors, but the most popular models are maids and butlers. A majority of families have a least one servant A.U.X, finding them incredibly useful so everyone has taken a fondness to them.

The first A.U.X that the Phantomhives created was Tanaka, an old but wise man that was programmed to be the household's personal servant. After that, the scientists made around five thousand humanoids, all programmed to provide a certain task for either the community, or for a household. Now there was going to be a huge celebration honoring this historical achievement in science.

Ciel wasn't looking forward to this celebration since he didn't enjoy social events. Originally he was going to go to the movies with Lizzy and Alois, but his parents reminded him of the event and encouraged him to stay here. It wasn't just because it was important to his parents, but they told him that they had a special surprise for him.

After setting up his iphone—reminding himself that he needed to get a cover to hide all the pink—before getting himself ready for the party. As he was dressing up—changing into a powder blue suit that Rachel picked out for him—he wondered what the big surprise that his parents had for him. Ciel hoped they didn't replace his car with a new one.

A knock at the door broke Ciel out of his reverie; Ciel answered and now his father, Vincent entered the room. He too was forced to wear a ridiculous outfit that Rachel wanted him to wear. It was also powder blue and he wore a striped tie while Ciel wore a bow. His hair was also brushed back and Ciel was mostly likely going to get the same treatment.

"Are you almost ready?" Vincent asked.

"Yeah, but isn't the party in several hours?" Ciel asked, he checked himself in the mirror and straightened out his bow. He couldn't believe he was wearing this and was sure Lizzy was going to ramble on and on at how 'adorable' he was.

"Yes, but your mother wanted us to get ready early to help her with decorations." Vincent remarked.

"Right . . .also why does mom want us to wear these?" Ciel asked, referring to his and his dad's suits, it was entirely ridiculous and they were most likely going to be the laughingstock at the party.

Vincent chuckled lightly and shrugged. "She just wants us to look nice for the party. But look on the bright side, at least she didn't put us in dresses."

"True."

x~x~x~x~x

The Phantomhive estate was packed, cars and limos lined up the long cobblestone driveway and more were coming along the way. Everyone was mostly in the drawing room, chatting away while drinking the wine that Tanaka was passing around.

Ciel was sitting alone on a couch till a familiar flash of gold jumped in and plopped next to the teen, nearly startling him. Alois laughed when the teen flinched at his sudden arrival. One of the blonde's A.U.X (he had five of them) Claude was standing by but barely moved a muscle as he watched his master.

"There you are, birthday boy, I was looking for you!" Alois exclaimed, flailing his arms in the air, swishing his glass of soda that carelessly spilled to the once polished floor.

"I was here for the majority of the time." Ciel remarked simply, but with evidence of bitterness in his tone.

"Well I didn't know; you invited the entire world population here so it's hard to find you, especially since you're so short!" Alois stated, but it really did seem that the entire population was present.

Ciel's eyebrow twitched at the short comment, it wasn't his fault that he barely grew much over the years. He then caught the attention of Claude and then focused back on Alois, cringing at the fact that the servant was just standing there and staring.

"Why did you bring your servant here?" Ciel asked, lowering his tone so that he didn't hear, he always had a discomforted vibe whenever Claude was around. The A.U.X. was like some predator just ready to attack.

"Why not?" Alois whined, "I bring Claude wherever I go, he's a great servant. Why? You jealous that I have such a cool servant and what you got is an old man?"

Ciel frowned deeply and didn't bother to continue the conversation, Alois was getting too obnoxious and there were times that he needed to just shut up. Ciel got up from the couch and walked away, but before going too far, his parents called him over. And not just simply called him over, they used a microphone that alerted everyone to turn to Rachel and Vincent's direction. They were standing on top of the grand staircase, calling Ciel so loud and clearly that set the estate in a hush.

Ciel's face flushed from embaressment and kept his head low as he proceeded through the now clapping crowd. He entered the foyer and climbed up the stairs, stopping in front of his parents who both smiled to him generously.

Vincent rested a prideful hand on Ciel's shoulder while Rachel took charge of the microphone. "As you all know, tonight is Ciel's eighteenth birthday and we have a special surprise for him—"

_Do you have to tell everyone that though? How big is this surprise? _Ciel thought to himself, glancing around at all the guests who surrounded the staircase. They were all waiting in anticipation like this was going to be the biggest news ever. He spotted his aunt Frances amongst the crowd frowning slightly while Lizzy was waving to him. Then he saw his other aunt, Madam Red and her A.U.X Grell who nearly tripped on his feet while handing a glass to his mistress.

"—Tomorrow, Vincent and I are going on a year long trip to share our experiment with the rest of the world. Now Ciel here, will be taking care of the A.U.X cooperation and research facility while we're away."

"Wh—what!?" Ciel exclaimed but his voice was succumbed by the erupted clapping of the guests that enveloped the foyer. All eyes were firmed on Ciel, making him utterly immobile and speechless about this. The teen was still in school, how was he going to be the head of the A.U.X cooperation too? How the hell was that even going to work?

The A.U.X cooperation and research facility was a massive building within the city, adorned in glass panned windows and a spiral skyscraper. The upper half of the building was the corporation where employees helped customers with their A.U.X. The lower half was the research facility where scientists conduct experiments and research on the A.U.X as well as other scientific studies.

Ciel wondered if his parents were joking, but with the fact that they revealed this to so many people, it certainly wasn't. Ciel avoided the stares and didn't know what to do, or even say for that matter. He was going to be in charge of the cooperation and the research facility. Course he was going to have assistants to help him, but the fact that they told them this so suddenly was a shock. This was a surprise indeed, but not a very good one.

Soon the clapping finally died down and Rachel continued on about the trip. But Ciel could barely hear her speak as many thoughts ran through his mind. When they were done, the crowd congratulated them and Ciel got his turn in the spotlight, but he didn't want to. Ciel never exactly wanted to be in charge of the cooperation, he was still in school and didn't have time to be a leader and take that kind of responsibility.

"Congrats, Ciel!" Lizzy ran up and flung her arms around her cousin, startling Ciel who was shoved out of his thoughts and was now gasping for air.

"Elizabeth!" Frances came storming in and yanked her daughter off of Ciel, nearly causing the younger teen to topple over. "How many times do I have to tell you to not act like that?"

"I was just congratulating my cousin." Lizzy pouted, bowing her head to avoid eye contact. Frances was a rather strict and fearsome woman who should be avoided at all costs.

"Honestly, sometimes you just don't act your age." Frances huffed, crossing her arms as she frowned in disproval. A soft chuckle then broke through behind her and her frustration intensified when she recognized that chuckle.

"You're in such a cranky mood, aren't you?" Vincent remarked teasingly, handing his sister a glass of wine but Frances bitterly refused. "C'mon, cheer up for once, especially on this occasion."

"Humph," Frances scoffed and glared at her brother. "Don't you think you're being a bit too reckless, Vincent? Allowing Ciel to take over your business for an entire year? He's still a child, you know."

Ciel frowned slightly at the comment, but it was true that he was inexperienced at this. However, Vincent commented with a sly smile that crossed his lips, knowing full well that Frances was going to disprove of this so he was proud to contradict.

"I believe that Ciel will do fine, all he has to do is sit back on a chair and make sure nothing blows up."

"You're making this sound easy." Frances muttered, raising a suspicious eyebrow but Vincent still held up a smile.

"It quite is, actually."

"This is ridiculous, Vincent."

"Is it, now?"

Frances wanted to slap that sly expression Vincent had spread on his face. She glared at him dangerously and then faced Ciel who jumped up, caught in his aunt's glare like she was staring right into his soul and slowly sucking it out.

"You better stay in school despite all this absurdity that your parents are forcing you to do." Frances ordered and stormed off, muttering inaudible words that were close to how irresponsible Vincent was.

Ciel somewhat agreed with his aunt but couldn't exactly say anything to his father. He didn't want to disappoint him, then again, he never really asked for this. He was never that interested in taking over the corporation, he mainly just wanted to finish his education and become a phycology professor, but the chances of that happening in this situation now were unfortunately slim.

"Um, dad . . ." Ciel finally spoke up, bringing his father's attention who was amused by how vexed his sister was.

"Yes, Ciel?"

"Do you think this is really a good idea?" Ciel asked quietly, avoiding from getting into a heated argument with his dad who simply just smiled.

"Of course, you're my flesh and blood after all." Vincent remarked, but then his smile dropped slightly. "Why? Are you not happy about this surprise?"

"It's just . . . I don't think I can hold such a responsibility," Ciel began, then gulped when he knew that his dad's enthusiasm was going to falter and that he might be taking his sister's side. "Plus I have to finish high school so I don't think I'll have time—"

"Ciel," Vincent cut him off, his tone was calm but Ciel was concerned that he might burst into a shout. "I understand how you feel, but don't get too stressed out about it. Colleagues of mine will help you out if you have any trouble, and I'll have one of them tutor you if they need too, right, Diedrich?" Vincent's head shot up, calling out one of his friend's name more loudly than necessary.

Diederich nearly choked on a sandwich and swirled his head over to Vincent's direction. "What!?"

"You'll help tutor my son, right?" Vincent asked, but it was more of a proclamation, which made the German frowned, especially since some of the guests turned their attention on him.

"Sure, whatever." Diederich returned to his sandwich, nibbling on it and walked away so he wasn't bothered anymore.

"See, nothing to worry about." Vincent's smile returned, but Ciel still felt a sense of uneasiness tugging at him.

"I'll be right back," Ciel remarked abruptly and managed to slip through the crowd and enter the kitchen. The kitchen was one of the only room's that was completely empty, which was perfect for Ciel who needed time alone.

He sat down on one of the stools that surrounded the marble counter. The stools were high so Ciel had to jump up and sit down. He held to the counter to sustain his balance, careful not to fall over. He adjusted himself before leaning forward and propping his elbows on the cool surface of the counter. Before he could get his thoughts straightened out, he heard the soft clicks of heels softly clapping the floor.

Lizzy propped herself on the stool next to Ciel's and glanced at him worriedly, tilting her head to the side as she pouted. She could tell that this ordeal was troubling him, but couldn't see it before since she was so hyped up.

"Ciel, do you want to talk?" Lizzy asked, concern evidence in her tone. She started to feel bad about her previous action of hugging him, like everything was going to go great with the teen now, looking at him now, sitting there with such a confused and misguided expression.

Ciel was silent and didn't answer, just kept his head down as he swayed his legs back in forth as he thought. Lizzy gently patted her cousin's back for reassurance, but he barely reacted. Lizzy sighed softly and moved her hand away, placing it upon her lap.

Before Lizzy could say anything, the door swung open and a woman with a notepad appeared. A pen was tucked behind her ear and she smiled to the two.

"Ah, there you are!" The woman exclaimed with much enthusiasm as she jumped over. "I'm Nina Hopkins, reporter for ECS news." Nina introduced, pushing back her glasses where the lenses caught the dim rays of the lightbulbs. "I'd like to ask you a few questions if you don't mind."

"Oh, uh. . ." Ciel was taken aback a bit and then loosely shrugged. "Sure."

"Good, good!" Nina sang sung, pulling the pen off her ear. "So, just a few minutes ago, you've been assigned by your parents, the renown Rachel and Vincent Phantomhive, to be in charge with their business while they're away. How exactly does that make you feel?"

Ciel frowned slightly as he contemplated while Nina readied her notepad as she was just about to write. Lizzy pouted, eyeing the contented reporter with a small ounce of annoyance.

"Somewhat nervous, actually, but I think I'll be able to handle it soon enough." Ciel said.

"I can definitely understand that! Running a business will be stressful. How old are you again, dear?"

"Eighteen."

"Ooh, you're practically an adult now!" Nina exclaimed, writing up some more notes. "Though, you look quite younger than that, but it's better to look young than old, right?" She giggled while Ciel huffed in exasperation.

"Anyways, tell me more about your feelings right now." Nina insisted, inching close to Ciel eagerly, but Lizzy finally stepped in.

"I think that's enough questions for now," Lizzy said quietly, attempting not to sound rude. "Can this be done another time?"

"Oh yes, of course!" Nina exclaimed and backed up towards the door. "I'm actually not supposed to be here, so I should get going. But I'll get the rest of this story soon!" Nina threw a fist in the air triumphantly before disappearing in a flash.

Ciel eyed the door peculiarly, "Dad didn't want any part of the media to show up despite how big this celebration is. Though it isn't much of a surprise that one snuck their way in here." Ciel released his gaze from the door and turned back to Lizzy. "What were you going to say, Liz?"

"I just wanted to know if you were alright." Lizzy said.

Ciel feigned a smile, "I am."

x~x~x~x~x

The following morning, Rachel and Vincent brought Ciel over to the A.U.X. building. The building stood tall amongst the others, it was situated near the National Mall so it wasn't hard to miss with its clear glass windows and immense size. Ciel only visited the building a few times so he wasn't entirely sure how to get around it. Before the A.U.X discovering, the building was used as a regular office, but after the great achievement, the formatting was changed in dedication.

Ciel was dressed up in professional wear, appearing so poised that a speck of dust was nowhere to be seen. Once Ciel entered through the glass doors, he was welcomed with a roar of applause from scientists and employees. Ciel didn't like the attention he was already getting and felt like leaving, but Vincent brought him forward and greeted everyone with a great amount of respect.

Vincent led the nervous Ciel to an elevator, clicking the button and waited patiently for the metal doors to open. While they waited, Ciel tried to stay calm and focused, but it was difficult considering that he had trouble sleeping the other night with all of this in mind. When the doors opened, they stepped in and Vincent pressed the fifty first floor, the highest floor in the building.

The elevator shot up and after a minute, they reached the top floor. This floor was only reserved for the Phantomhives and held two offices and a waiting room. They entered the waiting room and Ciel first noticed the secretary sitting behind the desk. She was an A.U.X going by the name of Meyrin.

"Oh, Doctors! Welcome back, I see you brought your son. Ciel, was it?" Meyrin asked quite abruptly but the trio could make out her words just fine.

"Yes," Ciel nodded shortly and Meyrin cupped her face, smiling so brightly as she looked at the teen.

"Why, you look so adorable, yes!" Meyrin squealed, oblivious to the fact that Ciel was eighteen while she thought he was much younger. She wanted to come over and take a closer look at the teen but Vincent's stare was like a hawk's as they stared at her intensely. Meyrin giggled nervously and sat back down on her swirly chair, adjusting her round glasses.

"I heard that you two are leaving on a year long trip, yes?" Meyrin asked.

"Correct, and Ciel here will be taking over our job while we're away." Rachel replied with confidence in her voice, but it didn't make Ciel feel any better. Nonetheless he pulled up a smile and nodded accordingly.

"That's great!" Meyrin clapped excitedly, much to her enthusiasm that was easily sparked. "If you need anything, I'm always here to help, yes!"

"Thanks . . ." Ciel mumbled, everyone was too happy about this; he was starting to side with his aunt Frances again.

Ciel was then led into Vincent's office. Tall, mahogany bookshelves lined up every inch of the walls, cluttered with all kinds of books about the human anatomy. A cherry wood desk was at the end of the room, accompanied with a burgundy armchair. Behind the desk was a massive glass panned window that showed a spectacular view of the city. The early morning sun peered through the glass and spilled itself onto the furniture and rich midnight blue carpet.

"This shall be your office now." Vincent exclaimed, gesturing a hand at the room. Ciel stepped forward, glancing at the many bookshelves and then at the polished desk that held a flat screen computer, phone and other office supplies.

"So . . .what do I do?" Ciel asked, he was pretty sure his job wasn't just to sit around and wait for something dramatic to happen.

"You check to see how everyone's doing and that they're working. I've caught some people sleeping a few times and we can't let that happen. Also check to see that everything's in order and there's no sign of anyone conducting an experiment that would cause some nuclear explosion." Vincent explained and then added, "But if everything's fine, you can just sit back on the chair and tell Meyrin to get you some coffee. Any other questions?"

"Not exactly . . ." Ciel asked, although he would like to ask why his family had so much trust in him that he was going to be responsible for taking care of this facility, but again couldn't ask.

"Good, but if you do have any questions you can always call us." Vincent insisted.

"Right." Ciel nodded, turning back to the desk and the chair that was waiting for him. He went over to it, sat down and felt his body sinking within the leathery cushions. He pushed himself up, rolled the chair closer to the desk and propped his arms on the armrests. His parents smiled at how professional he appeared and Rachel started to get teary-eyed.

Rachel and Vincent shortly said their goodbyes to their son and soon, Ciel found himself alone in the office. He was seated behind his father's desk, staring at the closed door vacantly and checked his surroundings. He was in charge now.

Ciel leaned back on the chair, in which case it emitted a brief squeak as it inclined. He stared up at the plain white ceiling and rocked the chair back and forth a few times before he grew bored and got up. He wandered around the office, checking the many books amongst the shelves. He picked one out and carried it back to his desk, deciding to read it to pass the time.

Once Ciel sat down, the phone started to ring and he instantly pressed on the receiver. "Yes?"

"C—oh, Mr. Phantomhive," Meyrin's stuttered voice slipped through the phone, she always sounded nervous when she talked. "Would you like me to get you anything?"

"Not right now," Ciel stated but paused to ponder and then answered, figuring that he didn't want to be cooped up here for who knows how long. "I'm going to take a walk around the building."

"Alright, sir." Meyrin stated before her voice faded from the phone.

Ciel rolled back the chair, got up and headed out of the office. He entered the elevator to check what floor to go to, but since he didn't know what all the floors held, he clicked on a random one and waited to see where it led him too.

Ciel stepped out of the elevator and found himself standing before a long, dark corridor, dimly lit by the few lights hung from the ceiling. He was in one of the very bottom floors, several feet underground. Ciel rubbed his shoulders at the sudden drop of temperature but nevertheless walked down the corridor.

Ciel stopped at a metal door that stood tall and ominous before him. Ciel gently knocked on the door to see if there was anyone inside. Shortly enough, the doorknob turned and let out a screech as it slid open to reveal a familiar silver-haired scientist. This particular and eccentric looking man with an everlasting smirk was one of the last people the teen wanted to encounter. Ciel's face turned sour and his instincts of running kicked in but he was suddenly pulled in.

"Ooh, where do you think you're going, young Mr. Phantomhive." The silver-haired scientist chuckled, locking the door behind Ciel so he couldn't escape. The man was simply known as the Undertaker since he's responsible for dealing with failed A.U.X. Undertaker hid the key within his lab coat and continued on with his chuckle as he gestured Ciel further into the room.

The lab resembled more like a dungeon with strange, glowing cylinders that stood around the room like pillars. Metal tubes were branched out around the ceiling like a spider's web and were attached to the top of the cylinders. The tubes split into wires and were attached to figures floating in the large containers of liquid.

What was floating in semi fetal positions were the pre-mature beings of the A.U.X. A majority of them were naked, hairless, sexless and faceless. Long, thing wires were latched to their skin, serving as a life support as it provided nutrition and other supplements that would help them grow. They had on the skin, the bones and a majority of the organs and bodily fluids, but more things had to be done but right now they were trapped within their glass chamber until they were fully developed.

"It takes quite sometime for these humanoids to develop, a lot is put into it." Undertaker exclaimed, gently patting one of the cylinders. "The most important parts of the A.U.X are the heart and brain, just like us humans. The brain is like a computer, storing all the information they need to learn from either their own master or those who they want to follow. Their heart pumps actual blood and is their life source, their battery. So when you get down to it, we're no different than machines, well, except for a few aspects of course, but you get the idea."

Ciel glanced at one of the humanoids that was much more structured than the others. It had a man's body shape and a face. The A.U.X was in a sitting position with his legs stretched out and knees buckled together. His arms were loosely intertwined and crossed over the legs, lightly touching the soaked skin. His head was tilted and bowed, facing Ciel's direction but of course couldn't see him.

"Ah, this one~" Undertaker crept over to that particular case and cackled. "It looks like he's almost ready, but of course we need the final touches."

"Which are?"

"A state of mind." Undertaker joyfully answered and rushed over to a computer that stood out in the middle of the room. The tubes in the ceiling started off within the computer, shooting up and then fell back into the cylinders, splitting into the heads of the humanoids and into their brains.

Undertaker hopped onto the computer, typing feverishly as he connected. Immediately, a 3D image of that particular A.U.X showed up. Undertaker zoomed in till there was a clear close up of his brain. The scientist crackled his knuckles and turned to Ciel who looked at the undeveloped brain curiously.

"An artificial brain can't work on its own unless we add in a little juice." Undertaker exclaimed, "You see, for each individual A.U.X we program them a certain way. If we want them to be a doctor, we give them all of the traits of a doctor. We also give them a personality; we can make them however we want them to act."

"Could they think for themselves though?" Ciel asked.

"I suppose, but we'd like them to do their jobs as soon as possible, don't we? The A.U.X can learn, think, process memories and information, but they're strictly obligated to do their jobs like they're programmed too. However, there have been some A.U.X that either don't develop or fail all together, and it's my job to get rid of them. That's always fun to do."

"So how are you going to program this one?"

"Hmm. . . " Undertaker pondered, tapping his chin with a long finger till an idea popped up. "Oh, would you like your own A.U.X?"

"Uh," Ciel hesitated, taken aback at the statement. He glanced back at the humanoid and then to Undertaker who was staring at him with an encouraging smile.

"It's not safe for someone such as youthful as yourself to be in charge with one of the largest businesses in the city. You could have enemies after you and right now, some people might be planning to end you in order to get a hold of this place. So I suggest that you should get a bodyguard for yourself, Mr. Phantomhive, for your own sake."

"Bodyguard?" Ciel echoed, scrunching his eyebrows together and pursed his lips at the thought. He was pretty sure he could take care of himself, but then again . . .he definitely couldn't do this alone and would need some protection.

"I guess you're right," Ciel remarked, causing Undertaker's grin to widen. He faced the computer screen again with eager fingers.

"Good, good," Undertaker snickered, typing up on the keyboard, "So he should be very protective and loyal to you then."

"Yes, and he should be trustworthy." Ciel added and Undertaker typed up all of that, including other important qualities that a bodyguard should have.

"Anything else he should be?" Undertaker asked. "An A.U.X can be more than just one thing, our most popular ones are butlers and I'm sure you're getting tired of your other one."

Ciel frowned slightly; Tanaka was like a grandfather to him so it wasn't like he wanted to get rid of him. Although, a butler just for himself would be fine.

"A butler works too." Ciel replied.

"Good~" Undertaker repeated, typing that as well, along with other criteria that would make up a butler.

"Now let me add in some final touches." Undertaker typed up some more with Ciel watching closely. Undertaker had made a full list of traits that would make up a perfect bodyguard and butler as well as other pieces of knowledge that was needed.

"So, what shall his name be?"

x~x~x~x~x

"Mr. Phantomhive, sir." Meyrin's phone squeaked through the phone. It was much later in the day and Ciel spent the time waiting for his A.U.X to recover after coming out of the tube in a blob of whatever gross substance coated him, it was like an amniotic sac. Undertaker told the teen to leave while he cleaned up the mess and got the A.U.X ready, but it was taking a while. But now, as the sun was just setting over the horizon, it was time. The sun's dying light crept into the room, lighting it in a mix of scarlet and amber.

"Yes, Meyrin?" Ciel asked back, keeping a keen eye at the door now after closing the book he was reading. The book dragged and was boring so it didn't do much to pass the time.

"Y—your A.U.X is here." Meyrin's squeak intensified for some reason and echoed through the phone.

"Let him in." A small smile spread on the teen's lips. He leaned back on the chair, crossed his legs and folded his hands on his lap. He watched as the door gradually opened in a gentle gesture, pushing it aside with the lightest touch from the handle.

Clad in black—in contrast to the bright colors that dyed the room—the A.U.X stepped in with a small click upon the heels of his shoes. He approached Ciel's desk before bowing his head, allowing his ebony hair to fall over his pale face. He stood up, straightened his back and smiled humbly at the teen.

"Hello, young master." The A.U.X, or rather, Sebastian, stated in a velvety tone. "What would you like me to do for you this evening?"

Ciel's smile grew, perhaps taking this responsibility wasn't going to be such a bad idea after all. Ciel rocked the chair gingerly back and forth as he thought of what he said make his A.U.X do. But first, he observed the appearance from the polished shoes and up to the ebony hair that framed his face. He looked more like a butler than a bodyguard, but it didn't really matter as long as he followed orders.

"The first thing that I want you to do," Ciel pondered, his eyebrows knitted together and pursed his lips slightly. He focused his attention on his father's coffee cup. It had a checkered pattern of black and blue that complimented with the rest of the dark décor in the room.

"Make me some tea." Ciel raised the handle up a few inches off the desk. "Be sure it's Earl Grey. But if there isn't any, go buy some. Don't be long."

"Yes, my lord." Sebastian stated before retrieving the cup. He was cautious as he stepped forward and took the cup from Ciel's small hand. The cup now settled on his palm while he held the handle with the other. Sebastian bowed his head once more before departing the room.

"Hmm. . . " Ciel sat back on his chair, watching the door as he thought about his A.U.X. The humanoids were just as intelligent as humans, if not a bit more with the help of technology. Nonetheless, the A.U.X were nothing more than servants, but they're obliged to do their jobs accordingly, so there's no exact harm to it. After all, they're not entirely human.

In just a span of a few minutes, Sebastian came back with the tea. The hot, steamy substance gave off a rich, sweet smell as Sebastian brought it over to Ciel. The teen gratefully took the cup and settled it back on the desk, pulling it towards him.

"Is there anything else, young master?" Sebastian asked while Ciel took a sip of the tea. It tasted pleasantly good, but it would've been better if there was a bit more sugar.

"None for now, but lets talk about your role here." Ciel suggested, placing the cup down. Sebastian stayed where he was in front of the desk, perfectly still like a statue. He was fairly tall so Ciel had to raise his head up to get a good look at his face, but he wasn't too keen about it.

"You can sit down, you know." Ciel stated, gesturing to one of the chairs that were diagonal to the desk. His annoyance was subtle in his voice, but he didn't want to keep looking up at the humanoid. The chair was low and he was short, he couldn't help it. Sebastian obliged and sat back down on a chair. He positioned his body upright and sat with a graceful, patient air. It pleased Ciel how poised he was, but nonetheless they had to get the criteria straightened out.

"As you already know due to your programing, you're not only my butler but also my bodyguard. I was told that since I'm the head of one of the largest businesses in the city, I will most likely have enemies coming after me. So it's your job to protect me. I'm literally putting my life in your hands; so you better not, under any circumstances, fail me."

"Of course, master." Sebastian remarked, his generous smile returned, small but memorable as his velvety tone slipped out. "I will always assist and protect you, it is my duty."

"And that will be your only duty." Ciel stated firmly, "There have been humanoids in the past that have failed their duties, and in the end they're thrown away like trash and left forgotten. So don't disappoint me."

For a split second, Sebastian's eyes widened and his smile dropped, but Ciel didn't catch it. Instead, the A.U.X got down on one knee and placed a hand over his chest, digressing the thought.

"I promise, I will protect you, my lord."

x~x~x~x~x

It was entirely dark and empty when Ciel returned back to the estate. Ciel switched on the lights in the foyer, reviving the crystal chandelier that lit the room in a warm glow. Sebastian followed closed behind as Ciel placed his coat in the closet and then ascended the stairs. As he climbed, he momentarily reminisced back to yesterday and today. Everything flew abruptly for him. Suddenly his parents placed their legacy upon him, trusting him with this responsibility and now he has an A.U.X of his own.

A butler and a bodyguard . . .Ciel knew that the humanoid wasn't going to betray him, because he was programmed to follow his orders. Ciel glanced at Sebastian from the corner of his eye. He was just a few feet away from him, looking straight ahead as they climbed the stairs. But then Ciel halted and so did Sebastian who now stood one step behind the teen.

"Sebastian, check to make sure all the doors and windows are locked." Ciel calmly ordered.

"Yes, my lord." Sebastian stated and descended the stairs, first heading to the front doors to double check on the locks.

Ciel continued onwards till he reached his room. He locked the door so he wouldn't be bothered as he changed. He slipped into his pajamas, buttoning up the shirt and unraveled the long pants till they were above his ankles. He flopped back on the bed, head cushioned on the pillow while his body sunk in the mattress.

He closed his eyes, the comfortable bed relaxed him and his mind eased as sleep started to take its toll. It was a long day and he barely got enough sleep the other night. However, a little buzz broke the peacefulness, subtly making him jolt. He glanced wearily at his nightstand and saw his cellphone causing the commotion. He threw a limp hand over it and yanked it over. Ciel sat up and noticed that Lizzy had texted him several times. She was repeatedly asking the teen how he was doing and that she missed him during school.

Right, school, Ciel missed it. It was the last week before winter break so Ciel was missing exams. He wondered how he was going to make them up. But then he presumed that his parents got it all covered somehow, perhaps he didn't have to make them up but instead just be tutored till they return. His parents were millionaires so they could make anything work.

Ciel flipped on his side and texted Lizzy back. He texted a bit about his day, how boring it was and that it would've been better to be at school than sitting on a chair most of the time. He didn't mention Sebastian since it would've taken a bit of explaining but he didn't want to chat much about it, at least not yet. Lizzy would be asking so many questions and Ciel didn't feel like answering, especially since he was so tired. Ciel told Lizzy goodnight before turning his phone off and settling it back on the nightstand.

Ciel plopped back on the pillow, closing his eyes once more. But before he could finally rest, his stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten dinner yet. He groaned and sat up, he just wanted to sleep but he didn't want his stomach to bother him.

When Ciel entered the kitchen, he found Sebastian already cooking dinner. A pot filled with rice and vegetables was on top of the over and the humanoid was gingerly stirring it while adding spices. Inside of the stove was a chicken being tenderly roasted. Sebastian stopped his action to see Ciel, welcoming him with a smile.

"You're in your pajamas already? It's only eight." Sebastian chuckled lightly.

"Shut up, I was tired of being in that suit." Ciel countered and sat up on one of the stools, watching the humanoid cook. "Did you lock everything?"

"Yes, all the doors and windows are bolted shut." Sebastian stated, "You shouldn't worry about anything now, master. You're safe."

Ciel stared at Sebastian, from his peculiar wine eyes to his curved smile that embarked suspicion like the smile of a crow's. That smile was telling otherwise and the teen sensed some uneasiness prickling at his skin, but decided to just ignore it. He didn't say anything else as he waited for his dinner.

After several minutes of silence, Sebastian spoke up as he checked to see how the chicken was doing. "Might I ask a question, young master?"

"Sure."

Sebastian closed the oven door, the chicken wasn't quite ready yet. Sebastian then checked the rice and vegetables, till finally focusing his attention back to Ciel.

"What exactly would happen to me if I fail you?" Sebastian asked.

Ciel was somewhat thrown off by this, taking note that Sebastian sounded concern and his smile was long gone. Their eyes met again and this time Ciel couldn't break away.

"I'm not sure, exactly . . .one of the scientists known as the Undertaker deals with failed A.U.X." Ciel said slowly.

"You said we get thrown away?"

"Well, something like that . . ." Ciel sighed, not knowing how to explain as he scratched his head. "Look, I don't know, but don't worry about it. You have a job to do and you need to do it right. I'm going to watch T.V. in the other room." Ciel hopped off of the stool, but before he left, Sebastian asked another question.

"How about you?"

"What about me?"

"What happens to you if I fail my task?" Sebastian inquired.

Ciel had his hand rested on the doorknob, slightly turned but halted. A cold shiver crept through his spine as realization sunk in and when he finally spoke. "I'll most likely be killed."

"Killed?"

Ciel raised an eyebrow, perplexed; did Sebastian even know that word? Or maybe he thought that was another word for "falling." What else did he know besides being a butler and bodyguard?

"Yeah, I'll be killed." Ciel repeated quietly, the words churned his stomach and he didn't want to continue on. He also presumed that Sebastian should've already known this. Apparently he didn't.

x~x~x~x~x

While Ciel ate his dinner and watched T.V. in the living room, Sebastian wandered into the library. The library was one of the largest rooms, consisting of a vast catalogue of different kinds of books. A spiral staircase was situated at the heart of the library, leading up to Vincent's private study. The walls were burgundy paneled, reflecting light back from the brass chandeliers suspended from the high, vaulted ceiling.

Sebastian browsed through one of the shelves before picking out a dictionary. He sat down on an armchair that was stationed next to the fireplace. He switched the fireplace on and a burst of flames lit up. Sebastian retracted a pair of glasses from his pocket and perched it on his nose.

Opening the book, Sebastian searched for the word 'killed', which didn't take long to find. His eyes narrowed at the definition that he came across: to deprive of life in any manner, to be slain, butchered, massacred etc. He looked up all of these definitions, finding the word death in each one so he looked up that. Death was the end of life, but it didn't say what happens afterwards. How about failing? Was there anything after that? Or is afterwards just a deprivation of existence?

Sebastian frowned and shut the book. He decided to read something else so he grabbed a book about animals. He idly flipped through the pages before coming across a chapter about cats. Suddenly he became intrigued and read through the chapter, fascinated by how felines were structured and how they acted. But then he came across the lifespan of cats: twelve to fifteen years. Sebastian's enthusiasm shattered and his stomach dropped at this realization. How do cats live such short lives?

Sebastian slammed the book shut and stared into the fire. The flames were low but they danced about in frenzy. His eyes brightened up but he stayed immobilized on the chair, pondering for a long time about the notion of death. He didn't know exactly how to feel about it. Should he read more of the subject? Ask Ciel anything about it?

_Ding! _

An old grandfather clock chimed, throwing Sebastian out of his thoughts. The clock rung eleven times in soft rhythms. Before the final tone, Sebastian stood up and placed the book away. He didn't realize how late it was already, he had lost track of time. But shouldn't Ciel have called him? It was late so the teen should've at least told him that he was retiring, or perhaps-

Silence soon fell and a dense sense of dread shrouded the room. Sebastian rushed out of the library in a flash, forgetting about the flames that were blazing frantically. He had locked the doors and windows accordingly and double-checked on them so no one could've broken in. But that didn't stop Sebastian from running through the manor in desperation.

When Sebastian burst into the living room, he nearly broke off the hinges of the door. His breath was labored as he first glanced at the T.V. that was still on, flashing brightly colored light as the soft voices of people erupted from it. Then he spotted the half eaten dinner on the glass coffee table, there was also a napkin tossed carelessly over the side. Finally, his attention was locked on the figure curled up on the couch. Sebastian sighed in relief when he saw Ciel, sleeping soundly against the cushions. One foot was dangled off of the couch while his body was tightened in a ball. His arms were wrapped around his body for warmth and Sebastian spotted a bit of droll dripping off of his bottom lip.

Despite being eighteen years old, Ciel acted like a child sometimes, especially when he slept. Sebastian gently picked the teen up, causing him to groan in his sleep. His head subconsciously rested against Sebastian's chest and mumbled something inaudibly. Sebastian smiled at how childish he appeared, he was so vulnerable and small, but yet he was in charge of such a huge corporation.

Sebastian carried the teen upstairs, holding him close while he wandered through the dark estate before finally finding his room. He pulled over the sheets and blanket before placing Ciel onto the bed, covering him up. Ciel's body shuffled momentarily before settling himself in with the familiar comfort of his bed. Sebastian watched as Ciel slept for a while before leaving, making sure that the door was secured shut.

x~x~x~x~x

"We're late!" Ciel's voice screeched from the second floor. Sebastian nearly dropped the saltshaker that he was using to glaze the omelet he was currently cooking. Sebastian's head swirled around and he came face to face with the disheveled teen whose eyes were widen with horror.

"Why the hell didn't you wake me up!? I was supposed to be at work an hour ago and you're just cooking an omelet like it's no big deal!?"

"I apologize, my lord," Sebastian softly responded, placing the saltshaker on the counter. "I was going to wake you, but it looked like you needed your rest—"

"But I can't be late! " Ciel cut in, flailing his arms in the air but then Sebastian took the teen's arms and settled them back to his sides.

"Young master, I called Meyrin and told her that you were going to be late, as well as informing the rest of the staff about it. There's no rush at all. Now please go get yourself ready, breakfast is almost done."

Ciel huffed and marched back upstairs. Sebastian watched the teen disappear before resuming his work. He held up a small smirk, perhaps serving and protecting this teen wouldn't be so bad. When Sebastian finished the preparations and set the table, he waited for Ciel who soon came down wearing a dark green suit and matching tie. He wasn't too comfortable with it, but he had to look professional. He sat down at the table and silently ate his food while Sebastian cleaned up the area.

"Young master," Sebastian spoke up after a few minutes, brining Ciel to his attention. "Are pets allowed here in the estate?"

"I used to have a dog, why?" Ciel inquired and took a long sip of a milk.

"Well . . . I was wondering if we can get a cat."

Ciel spat out the milk which spluttered on the table. "_What!?_" Ciel snapped, ignoring the mess he made as he shot up from the chair. "I'm allergic to cats just so you know!"

"I can get you some allergy medicine." Sebastian suggested and retrieved some paper towels to clean the table.

"No." Ciel muttered and pushed his plate away. He only took a few bits of it but he didn't want to eat anymore. "Lets go."

"But, master—"

"_We're going_." Ciel glared at Sebastian from the corner of his eye and marched out of the kitchen.

Sebastian sighed, he was starting to prefer the teen when he was just sleeping, now he was just acting like a brat. Sebastian figured that he needed to be taught more manners, especially if he wanted to be a successful leader. A smile then crossed the humanoid's lips, perhaps being a tutor and teaching the teen mannerism would do the trick. After all, what kind of butler would he be if he wasn't able to perform such tasks?

* * *

**A/N: Originally the setting was going to be made up, but I might as do an actual city. New York and London are popular ones in these fics, so I decided to do Washington D.C. instead. I could do alot with that setting, especially with events like the 4th of July with all the fireworks and the cherry blossom festival, but all that will be later. Plus I'll be throwing in a Kuro charecter who's going to be the president. Any guesses on who it might be? Please review, I'll take criticism, feedback, stuff like that, thanks for reading~ **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sometimes I wonder if it was a good idea to re-upload this fic considering how it's doing right now, but it's too late now to recovery the old version, so I'm sticking with this one. But more importantly, I'm going to take a break from my fics due to college coming up, plus I'm also working on a novel so I'm going to be quite busy. More about this is on my profile.**** I'll try to update this whenever I can, if not I might put this up for adoption along with Trust. I'm not sure yet though. . .  
**

* * *

"Sebastian, get the phone!" Ciel practically yelled with his voice surpassing the shower as it drummed through the enclosed marble space. But nothing could be as louder as the phone that was now ringing a second time. Ciel couldn't get out; he was in the middle of washing his hair.

Ciel was going to dinner with Lizzy this evening. It was somewhat unexpected, but than again, Lizzy enjoyed dragging Ciel to places, plus she had a surprise for him. Like he didn't have enough surprises already in the past few days.

Sebastian on the other hand was busy changing a light bulb on the ceiling, but nevertheless he jumped down from the ladder to grab the phone.

"Hello?" Sebastian answered, returning back to his task. He had the phone nestled in between his ear and shoulder as he twisted the new light bulb in.

"Who is this?" It was Vincent; apprehension was etched in his voice since he was hoping that Ciel answered, especially since he was calling the estate. So who was this mysterious person?

"This is Sebastian Michaelis, bodyguard and butler A.U.X to my young master, Ciel Phantomhive."

There was a long, awkward pause on the other end while Sebastian waited. He screwed on the light bulb a few times, each time a passing second that seemed to drag on while Sebastian had all the patience in the world.

". . .May I please speak to Ciel?" Vincent finally asked slow and calmly.

"Certainly, and who is it that I'm speaking to?"

"His father."

"It's a pleasure to be talking to you, sir, I shall get the young master now." Sebastian smiled but was oblivious to Vincent's stern, edgy voice as he talked. Sebastian hurried upstairs and knocked on the bathroom door.

"What?" Ciel called out.

"Young master, your father is on the phone."

_"What!?"_

Sebastian stepped aside when Ciel burst out from the bathroom. He was dripping wet with his hair soaked and coated with a crown of shampoo. Ciel held to the towel wrapped around his waist while the rest of his body was shivering from the sudden cold shoved at him.

"Give me that!" Ciel snatched the phone from a stunned Sebastian and waved him off. Ciel cleared his throat and held the phone to his ear.

"Hey, dad, how are you?"

"Ciel, what's going on?" Vincent asked sternly. "Who is this A.U.X that you have here?"

"Oh, um . . . " Ciel trailed, glancing back at Sebastian who was smiling humbly, unaware of the situation. "Well, yesterday I bumped into Undertaker and he figured that I should have A.U.X to protect me since I'm bound to make some enemies."

"I see," Vincent sighed, there was a bit of concern evident in his voice " . . . tell me about this one."

"His name's Sebastian and he's programmed to be my bodyguard and butler." Ciel briefly exclaimed. "He's loyal like he should and listens to every order accordingly."

". . .So Undertaker was the one who structured your A.U.X, correct?" Vincent asked.

"Yeah, but I gave him all the criteria that he should."

"Right. . ." Vincent trailed and there was a pause. "Stay there, I'm going to call Undertaker."

"Wa—" Ciel was cut off and he eyed the phone annoyingly as he stood in just a towel, waiting for his dad to call back.

x~x~x~x~x

"Hello!" Undertaker cackled once he answered his phone. It was rather old and dusty, but that was the same for the rest of the objects in his worn down home that could resemble a haunted house.

"Undertaker." Vincent's voice sighed over the phone.

"Ah! Vincent Phantomhive, how is your trip going?" Undertaker asked, well oblivious of his longtime friend's exasperation.

"Fine, we're in England right now—"

"Oooh, can you bring me back some tea when you get the chance?"

"I might, anyways I heard you gave Ciel an A.U.X."

"Hehehe, yes I did!" Undertaker cackled some more as he spun around gleefully. "I insisted that the kid should have one, you should've considered that before giving him this job, Vincent."

"I did, but—"

"Were you afraid that something might go wrong?" Undertaker inquired with a sly smile that glowed in the dark room of his house.

"No, I just didn't think he would want one. He's very independent so it's a surprise to know that he has one now."

"You think so highly of your son, Vincent, but do remember that he is still quite young. Giving him such a task alone might be too hard for him. So he deserves an A.U.X of his own, and I'm sure it'll be served in good use. Don't worry, your son will be fine."

"I know he will . . .but it's the fact that it's you who made the A.U.X that I'm worried about." Vincent suspiciously remarked. "Your job is to deal with the failed ones, so it's quite unusual that you are the one to craft it."

"Who says I haven't programmed one before?" Undertaker pouted, feeling a bit hurt. "Nothing will go wrong, this A.U.X has all the aspects of a good, hardworking servant. But if something _does_ go wrong, I can simply fix him up, no harm done, hehe."

"Right . . . " Vincent sighed, Undertaker was a good friend but sometimes he can feel fairly reluctant about him. One time before the A.U.X were made, Undertaker tried to create zombies out of the dead tissues of several humans, but it didn't work out well.

"Don't worry, Vincent," Undertaker repeated, waving his hand back and forth. "Now, I have some late errands to run, but before I go, can you please tell me a funny joke?"

"No." Vincent immediately hung up, causing Undertaker to pout in disproval.

x~x~x~x~x

Ciel threw on a robe while he waited for his dad. He paced across his room while Sebastian tried to towel dry his hair but the teen was moving too fast.

"Ciel, are you still on?" Vincent asked.

"Yeah," Ciel finally stopped, giving Sebastian the opportunity to dry the teen's hair. Ciel didn't really mind, especially since he was too preoccupied with the conversation.

"I wanted to call to make sure you're doing fine running the place."

"Nothing has exploded yet so that says something." Ciel dryly joked. "How are you guys doing?"

"Pretty good, we're about to go to a conference now actually." Vincent said, tone quickening as he just remembered. "I have to go now, Ciel, have a good night."

"Oh, uh . . . you too." Ciel considered on saying something else, but then he heard a subtle click on the other end.

The phone started beeping when Vincent hanged up, but Ciel still held the phone. He didn't want to admit that he wanted to talk a bit some more. Ciel frowned and dropped his gaze before handing the phone back to Sebastian. An empty sensation churned in his stomach as he dragged over to his room and shut the door.

x~x~x~x~x

"Ugh," Ciel groaned, plopping himself on the booth while Lizzy sat across. There were in a small restaurant that that was dimly lit by the oil lamps placed on each table. Soft music played in the background, though was almost indistinctive due to the chatters all around.

"Are you alright, Ciel?" Lizzy asked, glancing at her cousin with concern. Ciel's eyes were weary and his body fell limp against the booth cushions.

"Just a long day." Ciel briefly said, closing his eyes momentarily before opening them to see Lizzy's always-angelic demeanor. She smiled humbly and her eyes danced from the light of the oil lamp.

"I have a surprise for you so hopefully it'll make you feel better." Lizzy remarked and then reached into her purse, retrieving a small box. The box was wrapped loosely in a shiny blue ribbon. "Guess you could say this is your second birthday present." She handed the box over to Ciel and he opened it.

It was a silver bracelet with charms attached to the small chain. The charms consisted of: a chess piece, a bird, a dog, a book, a violin and a cross.

"Lizzy, this is kind of—" Ciel was about to say girlish but he was instantly cut off.

"It's a charm bracelet!" Lizzy raised her voice, bringing up some stares but she continued. "I know boys don't normally wear bracelets, but I made it for you. Here," She picked up the bracelet and pointed to the charms. "Each charm describes you in some way and they're linked together to make up who you are. You're a great person and I don't want you to change in any way because of this job . . .or anything else." Her tone strained unusually at the last words and her gaze dropped.

"I won't change, what makes you say that?" Ciel inquired, baffled and thrown off at the sudden outburst. He glance abruptly around to make sure no one was looking again.

"I just . . ." Lizzy paused as she sat back on the booth, struggling with her words as she fumbled with the thick fabric of her sweater. "I don't want you to become worried. I know you're probably stressed out about the business, so I want you to have something that'll relieve that stress, reminding yourself that you're still you and you'll get through this . . .and whatever else comes afterwards."

"You're the one who seems to be more worried than me." Ciel stated, not wanting to admit but it was true. Sure it was stressful, but he had Sebastian now.

"I guess. . ." Lizzy kept fumbling with the sweater but knew she had to stop. Her hands curled into fists and she lightly pulled on the sweater. "You don't have to wear it if you don't want to, just have it in your pocket or something."

"Lizzy—" Ciel was caught off again when the waiter arrived to greet them. Once they ordered their drinks, Ciel received the bracelet and gazed at each charm, ending up at the cross. The cross had a tiny sapphire embedded in the center, nearly matching the color of Ciel's eyes. Ciel frowned behind a hand that cupped over his mouth, preventing Lizzy from seeing his mild discomfort. He wasn't religious so he didn't understand how a cross was an aspect of him, but he dared not ask Lizzy about it. He didn't want to hurt her feelings or hint at anything that could upset her. Ciel placed the bracelet away in his pocket and released his hand, revealing a small smile to please his cousin.

"Thanks, Lizzy."

x~x~x~x~x

"I'm back." Ciel called once he entered his house. He placed his coat away and walked into the living room to see what his A.U.X was up too, but he wasn't in the room.

"Sebastian!" Ciel exclaimed and hurried down a hallway, calling his butler's name as he searched through the estate. Finally, Ciel found Sebastian in the library. He was propped on an armchair, reading next to the blazing fireplace. The A.U.X was so engrossed in the book that he didn't acknowledge the teen till he stood in front of him.

"Oh, hello, young master." Sebastian greeted humbly with his usual smile. "How was dinner?"

"Fine." Ciel had his hand in his pants pocket, fidgeting with the bracelet. After the unusual talk about the bracelet, Lizzy suddenly burst into constant chatter and talked about school. Her quiet attitude switched in a split second, confusing Ciel and made him wonder if Lizzy was the one who was changing instead.

Ciel decided to abandon the thought and sat down on the armchair across from Sebastian. He peered suspiciously at the book the A.U.X was reading. " . . . You're reading a book about cats?"

"They're fascinating creatures." Sebastian remarked; trying to make a valid point but Ciel didn't catch on. He was allergic to cats and would kill Sebastian if he insisted on keeping one again.

"Right," Ciel dismissed the subject and grabbed a book off the shelf next to him. He opened to the first page and started to read, but not before ordering Sebastian to make him some tea.

Sebastian obliged and departed the library momentarily. In minutes he came back with the tea and handed it to Ciel. Sebastian returned to his seat but he didn't resume his reading. He stared wordlessly at Ciel while the boy read and sipped his tea. The A.U.X sat back on the chair and turned back to the flames, it was tensely quiet so Sebastian brought up another subject.

"Did something happen when you were talking to your father on the phone? You looked a bit unease afterwards." Sebastian said quietly.

Ciel's eyebrows quirked as he finally looked up at Sebastian, but the humanoid's attention were on the dancing flames. The teen grimaced and wanted to argue that it was none of his business, but the subject was likely to be brought up again sooner or later.

Ciel sighed in defeat and propped an elbow on the armrest, resting his chin upon his palm. "I won't be seeing my parents for a year and it's hard for me to talk to them without them being busy. Even before they left, they're been more focused in their work than me. Now they suddenly want me to take care of their business, but why couldn't they ask anyone else to do it?" Ciel mainly asked himself as his eyes narrowed. His hand slipped into his pocket and he fidgeted with the bracelet again. His fingers intertwined with the little charms, but he tried to avoid the cross.

"It's been a while since I had a decent conversation with them without it being related to their work." Ciel finished and didn't want to continue onward, but allowed another trail of silence to emerge.

" . . . Do you want to try calling them?" Sebastian finally suggested.

"No, they're busy and it's getting late." Ciel checked the time on the grandfather clock; it was close to ten so it wasn't exactly late. Nonetheless, Ciel decided not to call since the only response he would receive would be: "We're sorry, Ciel, we're busy but we'll call you later."

"Is there anything I can do for you then?" Sebastian now asked, concern laced in his tone.

"No. . . " Ciel responded and stood up from the chair. He took the book and kept his head low as he spoke, his voice peculiarly quiet which somewhat surprised Sebastian, especially at the next words that slipped out unsteadily. "Just . . .don't leave my side."

Sebastian chuckled softly. "How could I leave you? I'm bound to protect and serve you always, young master."

"Just follow it, that's an order." Ciel demanded abruptly as he kept his eyes averted from Sebastian. The A.U.X simply smiled and bowed his head respectfully.

"Yes, my lord."

x~x~x~x~x

Sebastian stayed at the library for the rest of the evening, doing nothing but read as many books as he could and processing as much knowledge as needed. He didn't think he knew enough, so he had to study to be a successful servant to his young master. Ciel's last words before he retired replayed in his head like a recorder. Sebastian felt concern for him and wondered how he could help, so he decided that reading was the best bet. Though he'd forgotten that sleeping was a priority.

When Ciel found Sebastian the next day in the library, the humanoid was sleeping lopsided on the chair. His head was rested on his shoulder with an open book slumped on his crossed legs. A pile of books was next to him, stacked in a crooked pile with the pages worn to indicate that they were all touched upon.

Ciel didn't exactly know how to react to this sight. Should he smile since Sebastian just looked ridiculous or frown because this wasn't a proper way for a servant to be presented? Ciel sighed and came over to wake Sebastian up.

"Hey, Sebastian."

Sebastian stirred subtly but his eyes stayed closed. His body shifted in the chair then stayed motionless, aside from his chest that gradually rose and fell as he breathed.

"Honestly," Ciel huffed and tapped his foot impatiently. "I'll give you five more minutes." The teen confirmed before leaving the room, but the humanoid was going to need more time than just five minutes.

Ciel parted to the kitchen to make some cereal. He didn't know much about cooking and was usually given lessons by his friend, Soma and his A.U.X Agni, but Ciel usually forgets a majority of the lessons. The teen grabbed a box, poured it in a bowl followed by some milk. He sat down at the table and quietly ate as he waited for Sebastian, and waited, and waited some more.

Apprehensively, Ciel stared at the clock, watching as the smaller hand ticked away each passing second. When Ciel was done eating, it was well past five minutes so Sebastian should at least be waking up now.

Before Ciel could go check, the doorbell rang. The sound nearly startled Ciel who flinched and turned to the direction of the foyer. His eyebrow rose in suspicion. It was nearly nine in the morning so who in the right mind would be ringing the doorbell this early? Unless Alois or Lizzy decided to skip classes in order to see him. But he already saw Lizzy last night and she would've said something, then there was Alois who sometimes does appear uninvited.

" . . . It probably is Alois." Ciel mused and rolled his eyes. He sighed and went up to the door to open it. But instead of it being Alois, standing at the front door was Madame Red and her A.U.X, Grell.

"Ciel, dear!" Madame Red beamed brightly and caught her surprised nephew in her embrace.

"Ma—Madame!" Ciel squirmed in her aunt's hug so she let go and then walked freely into the house with Grell by her side.

"My, the place looks cleaner than before." Madame Red whistled as she observed the polished floor and shimmering chandelier overhead.

"Yes, my A.U.X, Sebastian cleaned the house." Ciel remarked, but spoke rather dryly since he was rather vexed that the humanoid wasn't even awake yet.

"Ooh, you have one of your own now?" Madame Red inquired and then her smile widened. "Where is this A.U.X of yours?"

Ciel faltered and he gestured to the direction of the library. "Apparently he was up all night reading and is now currently asleep. But he needs to get up soon since we need to get to work soon."

"Oh, then perhaps you should let him rest then," Madame Red suggested. "If he didn't get to sleep at all, then he would surely be exhausted and wouldn't be able to help you at work. So perhaps you should let him rest then."

Ciel frowned and immediately responded: "No, I need him to assist me."

"One day wouldn't hurt, right?" Madame Red stretched the offer as she leaned in and winked at her nephew, making his frown deepened as he contemplated this. Though, perhaps it was true that he should give his A.U.X a break, especially since he has been working hard since he started.

"Fine," Ciel loosely shrugged, not too keen about the idea, though it was just going to be a day. "Anyways, why are you here? Shouldn't you be at the hospital?"

"My shift is not till this afternoon. And I'm here to give you a ride." Madame Red remarked.

"I can drive, you know."

"Yes, but I also need to have Grell checked out," Madame Red gestured to Grell who was fiddling with his fingers timidly. "He's been kind of off lately, so I wanted to check if he's alright with his scientist. I think it was Dr. Spears."

Grell's head perked up at the name and his fiddling halted. "Yes, it was. But I assure you, Madame, I'm fine."

"Course you are," Madame Red sarcastically stated with pursed lips and then turned her attention to Ciel. "Now let's go, Ciel."

"Hold on." Ciel exclaimed and then headed back to the kitchen. He grabbed some paper and pen and wrote a quick note to leave for Sebastian. He then tapped the note on the fridge and then came back to his aunt and servant.

"Okay, we can go."

x~x~x~x~x

"Hmmm. . . " Dr. William Spears's eyes narrowed when he first saw Grell and then Ciel as they stood in front of his lab. The scientist payed no attention to Madame Red babbling about Grell's mishaps, the words were quite distant to the scientist's ears as he focused on Ciel. William wasn't fond of Ciel being the new boss; he was hoping that Vincent and Rachel would've chosen him since he worked the hardest in this institution. So the fact that they picked their inexperienced son was practically being stabbed in the back several times.

"How long are you going to be in charge here?" William asked monotonously which irked the teen.

"About a year." Ciel engaged in the staring that seemed to intensify. "Why? Got a problem that an eighteen year old is running the place?"

William pushed up his glasses but kept his eyes firm on the teen. "Considering how intelligent your parents are, I presumed they would've been wiser on their decision of choosing who should be in charge. But instead, they decided to chose you."

Ciel was about to counter but fell short; he dropped his gaze and clutched his hands into fists. His anger seethed, but he couldn't exactly yell back since it was true. He still didn't understand why his parents chose him instead of someone else.

"Hey!" Madame Red barked and pulled Ciel to her side, glaring at the scientist. "Don't you _dare_ talk to my darling nephew like that! Rachel and Vincent chose right, now you do your job and see what's wrong with Grell!"

William scowled and turned to face Grell who was smiling shyly. The scientist sighed and gestured his head to the lab. "Right, come this way."

The lab was quite different than Undertaker's. It didn't look like a dungeon, but was a regular lab with science equipment neatly stored on top of shelves and counters. Everything was organized and furnished, exactly how a lab should be.

William ordered Grell to sit down at a table while he got out a clipboard. The scientist picked out a pen from his coat pocket and poked with the top.

"So, what's going on with Grell, again?" William asked, jotting down a few notes on the clipboard as Madame Red listed.

"Well if you were paying attention and not glaring at Ciel, you would've heard me. Now, as I was saying, Grell keeps on messing up and I don't think he's focused. Plus he's been quite . . .well, I've caught him a few times trying to hang or stab himself so I'm quite worried for him." Madame Red glanced to Grell who averted his eyes swiftly.

William drew out another sigh and went over to one of the counters, pulling open the top drawer that kept syringes and vials. "So he's hormonal again?"

"Seems that way," Madam Red placed a hand on Grell's shoulder and patted it. "I tell him to calm down but he becomes so reckless."

"Honestly." William muttered to himself as he rummaged through the drawer before picking the right vial and then squeezing the liquid into the smaller chamber of the syringe. He faced Grell again who cringed at the sight of the needle. "This is just going to calm your nerves."

"N—no I'm fine!" Grell screeched, he tried to jump out of the chair but Madame Red held him back. "I'm perfectly fine!"

"Just hold still." William grabbed Grell's arm, but the A.U.X hollered in retort and wiggled his arm around crazily. Trying with all his might to not get a shot.

Ciel watched mundanely and decided to leave the lab. A migraine was triggering and he needed to get away from the ruckus that was currently going on. Ciel ventured down one of the halls, not necessarily caring where he went as long as he got away from the noise.

The teen stuck his hand in his pocket, lightly touching the bracelet that Lizzy gave him. He frowned slightly as he though back on his cousin's words the night before. He stopped in the middle of the hall as he pondered, but then he saw Diederich walking down the hall.

"There you are, Ciel," Diederich came up to him, holding piles of paper in his arms. The amounts of papers were weighing down his muscles but he was able to sustain it. "I've been looking for you."

Ciel eyed the papers with some suspicion, getting the hunch of what it was. " Are you making me do paperwork?"

"Yes, it's essential to your job." Diederich slumped the pile into Ciel's arms, but the teen nearly lost balance at the sudden weight.

"Why can't you do it?" Ciel asked.

"I have other important matters to attend to. Also later on I need to tutor you since you're missing classes."

". . . Not my fault." Ciel grumbled, glancing down at the papers in his hands and then back to Diederich who was turning to leave.

"Right, get to work, _boss_." Diederich stated with a short wave before disappearing down the hall.

"_Yes, sir_." Ciel sneered, clutching the papers firmly in his grasp as he carried them to his dad's office. He was going to hate this, but at least he didn't have to hear anymore of Grell's cries.

Ciel dropped the huge pile on the desk and then sharpened a few pencils. Judging by the amount of paper there was, he was going to be quite busy for a while. Luckily, Ciel had his i-pod for a little motivation, so he plugged in his headphones and switched on shuffle. The teen sat down and got started, alone in the office with the classical music accompanying him.

x~x~x~x~x

Sebastian woke up groggily, blinking several times to adjust himself and found that he had fallen asleep on the chair. The humanoid checked the time on the grandfather clock and nearly jumped to realize that it was one in the afternoon. Sebastian cursed inwardly before hurrying out of the library. He called to his master, but there wasn't a response. Fear started to swell up inside and he grew frantic.

"Young master?" Sebastian called once more, but again, didn't get a response. The humanoid searched all over the mansion, but when he finally got to the kitchen, he found the note on the fridge.

_Sebastian,_

_I'm giving you the day off since I can't have you come in exhausted at work, it'll be an annoyance. It seems like you deserve a break from the work you've done, but remember that this will be the one and only time. If you have any questions, my cell phone number is at the bottom of the page. I won't be back till later this evening._

_Ciel._

Sebastian sighed in relief that Ciel was okay, this was the second time that he became frantic. Though, the A.U.X was quite surprised that he was given a break. But then his surprise slipped into concern and he decided to call Ciel about this. Sebastian grabbed the phone and started to dial Ciel's phone number.

"Now you're awake, Sebastian?" Ciel sounded agitated over the phone, but it wasn't because of the humanoid, it was the paperwork that he was still working on.

"My apologizes, young master."

"Don't worry about it." Ciel stated briefly, not in the mood to talk about it, especially when he was in a bad mood. "Make this brief, I'm busy, so do you have a question or what?"

"I wanted to check if you're alright."

"I'm fine, why?" Ciel inquired, his agitated tone changed to perplexity, revealing some alertness but kept it refined.

"You're my master and it's my duty to protect you." Sebastian said without hesitation, and spoke briefly like Ciel wanted him to. "I should let you get back to work, then. I'll cook a big dinner for you when you return."

"Right." Ciel was slightly taken aback by Sebastian's words, it was true that he was simply doing his duties but there was genuine concern in his voice, a sort of tone that he only hears with Lizzy, and rarely with his parents, so this was different.

There was a long pause and Sebastian waited to see if there was anything else for the teen to say, but there was nothing but the soft click in the background as Ciel hung up. Sebastian smiled slightly and placed the phone back.

x~x~x~x~x

Ciel finally finished up the paperwork and leaned back on his chair, closing his eyes and relaxing. His i-pod died a while ago so he spent the rest of the time working in silence. It was long and tiring, but the day wasn't over yet, though he wanted to leave early.

Since it was winter, it became dark fairly quickly. Outside, the city lights flickered in showers of white and ivory, nearly surpassing the brightness of the moon. Ciel glared at the clock, there was four hours left before he could even go home. Madame Red had left with a dazed Grell (whom took forever for the Madame and Spears to settle down and give the shot) an hour ago so he had to ask Sebastian for a ride. Wait; does Sebastian even know how to drive? He'll probably ask for a cab just to be safe.

Ciel rested his head on the desk, wanting to sleep for just a few minutes. But before he could enjoy some peace, the telephone rang. Ciel found the urge to toss the telephone away, but knew his dad would kill him if he did so. The teen huffed and pressed on the receiver.

"Yes, Meyrin?"

"Diederich is here to see you, Mr. Phantomhive."

_Shit, I forgot that he needs to tutor me . . . _Ciel unfortunately remembered. " . . .Let him in."

Diederich entered the room shortly after to find a tired Ciel who's ready to fall asleep. But Diederich simply ignored the teen's apathy and sat down at a chair with some textbooks in hand.

"Can we not do this?" Ciel asked.

"No." Diederich opened up one of the books, flipping it to a random page. "Vincent wanted me to tutor you for a while. I don't want to do this either, but you still need your education, so let's get started."

"Ugh." Ciel grumbled and kept his head on the desk, but Diederich constantly told him to sit up straight and act mature. Diederich knew how tired Ciel must be after the work he gave him, but he needed his lessons.

After about an hour of working, Ciel stopped midway from taking notes to ask Diederich a question. It came almost out of the blue and wasn't relevant at all to his studies, but Ciel was curious, especially with his encounter with William.

"What are your opinions of me being in charge here?"

Diederich faced Ciel; the teen looked more awake than before and was now staring at him with all seriousness. The man took a moment as he propped an elbow on the desk, rubbing his temple in a small circle as he exhaled a breath of air. He opened his mouth and kept a stern, straightforward gaze at the teen.

"In all honesty, I'm not exactly sure why Vincent and Rachel chose you, so I can't really say what I think so far."

"I see . . . " Ciel wasn't expecting a praise, especially since he was recently scolded by him for not sitting up right, but his words came out cold and untrustworthy, like how William spoke to him. "Would that be the same for everyone else here?"

"You've only been in charge for a few days now, Ciel. So we're unsure of what to think."

"Right, of course." Ciel nodded weakly and got up from the chair, but felt his legs wobble for a sec before sustaining his balance. ". . .Can we stop the session now?"

"Sure." Diederich shut the textbook; he wanted to be done as much as Ciel, making the teen wonder if the man had more to say about him. But all Diederich did was get up from the chair and left the room without speaking another word.

Ciel reclined back on his chair and swirled it around till facing the window. Snow was drifting from the clouds and slid on the glass. He could feel the chill as if he was already outside, but it was just his nerves taking advantage of him as he felt a sort of numbness. He really didn't know how to feel, he knew that he wasn't going to be respected easily and didn't want everyone to trust him like he was some sort of prodigy. But he was unsure of what to think . . . then there were all those people clapping for him before, though it could've just been a facade, a cover up to make his parents proud.

No, he really shouldn't think like that. He just started this so he shouldn't jump to conclusions. Ciel got up from the chair and stride over to the window. He peered down at the busy street below. Even in the evening, the city was still alive and bustling, never ending and just going in a continuous cycle. It was noisy and chaotic out there, but inside his glass box, it was quite and safe.

Ciel returned back to his desk and decided to call Meyrin. He needed to settle things instead of just worrying.

"Meyrin," Ciel called, receiving a surprise reaction from the secretary. "Send a message out to everyone that I'll be holding a mandatory meeting for everyone tomorrow afternoon."

"Isn't that a bit sudden, sir?"

"It's important, Meyrin, so I advice you to do it."

". . .Certainly, Mr. Phantomhive."

Ciel smirked slightly but it soon faded as he rested himself back on the chair. The chair squeaked as it moved back and forth, but then he stopped after a while. The wailing cry of an ambulance was heard in the close distance, and then slipped into silence as Ciel finally managed to shut his eyes.


End file.
